Last week, I gassed on in this column about the lack of vegetarian items on restaurant menus around town.
I asked for chefs to experiment more with all-vegetarian items, and encouraged home cooks to do the same.
Luckily, the cookbook section at bookstores is dripping with great resources.
Among them: “Pure Vegetarian,” by British chef Paul Gayler, which includes this excellent, cozy, wintery all-vegetable stew.
Vegetable Stifado
“Adapted from Pure Vegetarian,” by Paul Gayler, serves 4.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound pearl onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced thick
5 ounces (about 5) new potatoes, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup red wine
3 cups good vegetable broth
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1 cup cooked navy beans
Sprig of rosemary
12 black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Heat half the oil in an ovenproof casserole over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes until lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for a another minute. Add the cumin, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes and toss well together. Add the flour, stir well, and cook for a further 1 minute. Add the red wine and broth, bring to a boil, and add the tomatoes, cooked beans and rosemary. Place in the oven for 35-45 minutes until tender. When cooked, remove from the oven and stir in the remaining olive oil, then add the olives, parsley and oregano. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot.
While we’re at it, here is a recipe from the same book for excellent little sandwiches to serve with your soup.
Wild Mushroom and Taleggio Croque Monsieurs
“Adapted from Pure Vegetarian,” by Paul Gayler, serves 4.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 slices of white sandwich bread
8 slices taleggio cheese
salt and pepper
Directions
Heat half the olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry until golden and tender. Add the parsley and season to taste. Remove and let cool.
Spread the butter on both sides of each bread slice. Divide the mushrooms equally and place onto two slices of bread. Top with slices of cheese, then close up the sandwiches with the other two slices of bread, pressing down gently to make them compact.
Heat the remaining oil in another skillet, add the sandwiches, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden all over. Remove and drain on paper towels. Using a sharp knife, remove the crusts and cut each sandwich into six small squares. Serve immediately.
